Will.i.am Says Sony ‘Disrespectful to Michael'; Why the Exploitation of MJ Has Just Begun

Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas is appalled by Sony Records’ decision to release an album of Michael Jackson’s unfinished songs. Entitled Michael, the album features Akon, Lenny Kravitz, and 50 Cent and will be released on December 14.

Will.i.am recently spoke out against the release by saying, “Whoever put it out and is profiting off of it, I want to see how cold they are,” he said. “He just wasn’t any ordinary artist. He was a hands-on person. To me, it’s disrespectful. There’s no honoring. Michael Jackson songs are finished when Michael says they’re finished. Maybe if I never worked with him I wouldn’t have this perspective. He was very particular about how he wanted his vocals, the reverb he used … he was that hands-on.”

As an artist, will.i.am understands the importance of finishing a project before it’s released to the public; however, the exploitation of Michael Jackson has just begun. Once Jackson’s estate signed a $200 million deal with Sony, it became evident that the company would use his name to promote products that Jackson would never have agreed to. In the future, Sony hopes to release ten new albums, movies and video games with the use of Jackson’s music and image. –a.r.